Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 655,287. Patented Au 7.1900. C.,VERWER. ACETYL'ENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed July 7, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIS VERWER, OF KROMHENIE, NETHERLANDS.

AC ETY LEN E-GAS G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,287, dated August 7, 190i).

Application filed July '7, 1899, Serial No. 723,075. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CORNELIS VERWER, manufacturer, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Noorderkerkbuurt 63, Krommenie, Provinz Nord-Holland, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Lamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lamp. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 90, Fig. 1.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-lamps.

The water-receptacle and the gas-holder of the improved lamp are arranged near each other in the body of the lamp, and the diaphragm or partition-Wall between them is formed by a plate or sheet of india-rubber or other suitable material. From the water-receptacle the water passes in drops through a narrow tubeinto the carbid-receptacle. This earbid-receptacle is made in cartridge form and consists of a closed sheet-metal cylinder of white iron, with a central open tube. Around this tube is the space in the cartridge which is filled with carbid. The central tube is not watertight, but is made in such a manner that the Water can penetrate on all sides and can come into contact with the carbid. This object can be attained in various ways.

A simple solution which I have adopted in myimproved acetylene-lamp consists in forming the tube of a spirally-coiled strip of sheet metal wound so as to leave sufficient space between the edges of the several convolutions to permit the passage of water between them. The gas formed enters the gas-holder through a connecting tube or passage of small bore and from thence passes through the burner to the flame. If the supply of gas is too great-that is to say, if more gas is generated than is required for feeding the fiamethe pressure will rise in the gas-holder. This increased pressure will cause the india-rubber diaphragm to be bulged out or distended, and this distention will cause the supply of water to be arrested. For this purpose a thin sheet-metal plate is arranged to rest against the india-rubber diaphragm, which plate follows the motion of the said diaphragm and is situated at the end of the long arm of a bellcrank lever. The short arm of this lever bears at its end an india-rubber block or plate arranged directly above the opening or mouth of the water tube. If the pressure rises in the gas-holder, the said india-rubber block or plate will be pressed onto the mouth of the Water-tube by reason of the motion of the above-mentioned metal plate, due to such increase of pressure, and thus the supply of water will be arrested until the pressure has been reduced to such an extent that the india-rubber diaphragm, and consequently also 'themetal plate resting against it, have again taken up their normal position.

Referring to the drawings, a is the waterchamber, and b the gas-chamber, which are made of hemispherical form and are separated by an india-rubber diaphragm c, theedge of which is secured between the flanged edges g and d of the two hemispheres. In this manner a hermetically-tight partition is obtained between the water and gas chambers. The rear hemisphere a is provided with an eye h for suspending or securing the lamp and is made with a tubular extension 5 at the bottom, so as to form a joint-piece, which is provided with an internal screw-thread and a flange t'. The tube or shell jfor receiving the carbid-cartridge Z is screwed into this joint-piece z and a hermetically-tight joint made with the flange 2' thereon by means of an india-rubber ring it. In the front hemisphere b is mounted the reflector e, and into this opens the burner f. A part of the said reflector forms the front wall of the gaschamber 1). In the middle of the cartridge is arranged a tube 1%, coiled up from a strip of sheet metal. water-tube n, secured to the water-receptaole a, which tube 71 extends into the cartridge Znearly to the bottom thereof. Above the mouth of the said water-tube it lies the indiarubber-valve 0, by means of which the mouth of the said water-tube n can be closed. The motion of this valve is effected by means of a wire q, bent in the form'of a bellcrank lever and journaled at r in a bracket .9 at the bottom of the water-chamber,close to the partition-wall. On the horizontal short arm of this lever is secured the india rubber Valve 0. The vertical long armhas soldered In this tube is placed a fine thereto a metal plate p, which is continually pressed by a feeble spring 5 against the india-rubber diaphragm 0. One end of the spring s is secured to the valve 0, and the other end bears against the wall of the waterreceptacle, the intermediate portion forming a coil. The springs tend to hold the valve raised and through the bell-crank the plate p against the diaphragm c. As the top of the cartridge is closed around the tube 772 by a plate Z, the gas as generated passes through the said tube m and into a space between said plate Z and a plate Z in the tubular extension 2. This space communicates with the gas-chamber I) through a tube t, which passes through the plate I and the shellof the chambers a and b.

A screw-threaded stem '0 extends from the plate 19 back through the wall of the receptacle a, on which a sleeve 10 is threaded. The sleeve is journaled in the wall of the receptacle a and carries at its outer end a nut '20, which normally bears on the exterior of said receptacle, so that by turning the same the sleeve Will turn and draw the plate 19 over to close the valve 0. A stop-flange so is fixed to the sleeve, which limits the movement of the plate 19 when acting under the influence of the diaphragm c. The water-receptacle is provided with an aperture closed by a screwplug to, which can be removed to permit filling of the said receptacle.

The method of operation of the lamp is as follows: The water from the water-receptacle a drops through the very fine water-tube n into the central coil-tube m of the cartridge and there comes into contact with the carbid. The acetylene gas generated rises bet-ween the two tubes 02 and m and passes through the tube t into the gas-holder b. If more gas is generated than is necessary for feeding the flame, the pressure rises in the gas-chamber and the indiarubber diaphragm c bulges outward toward the water-chamber a. The plate 19 follows this motion and transmits it by means of the lever-arm q to the valve 0, which is thus pressed into the mouth of the watertube n and the water-supply arrested. Further generation of gas cannot then take place. The pressure in the gas-holder then falls, since the gas is gradually consumed by the flame. Thus the diaphragm c resumes its normal shape, (shown in Fig. 1,) the valve 0 opens under the action of the spring 3, and water again flows into the cartridge, so that generation of gas begins afresh. When it is desired to extinguish the light, the valve 0 is closed by simply screwing up the nut 20. The arrangement is thus extremely simple, the action perfectly certain and free from danger, and the manipulation easy.

The carbid-cartridges, which are delivered closed, can be conveniently carried and can be thrown away as soon as they are exhausted, so that one has nothing to do with the unpleasantly-smelling residue.

When it is desired to insert a fresh cartridge, the valve 0 isclosed, the outer tubej unscrewed, the old cartridge replaced by a fresh one, the said tube screwed in again, and finally the valve 0 opened.

The several parts are so arranged that they can be easily taken apart for carefully cleaning the lamp.

The form and ornamentation of the lamp can be varied as desired. My improvements are more particularly suitable for velocipedelamps, but can also be applied to carriagelamps or chamber-lamps. Danger of explosion is precluded, and the action is quite automatic.

If it' be desired to employ a glass in front of the reflector, the burner should be placed upright and the reflector provided with airholes.

Since the regulation and extinguishing of the flame are effected by simply turning-the screw-nut w, the manipulation is very simple and can take place from the saddle.

What I claim is- 1. In an acetylene-lamp, the combination, with a gas-chamber, of a water-chamber adjacent thereto, a vertical elastic partition wall or diaphragm between said gas-chamber and said Water-chamber, a carbid-receptacle, a passage connecting said water-chamber and said carbid-receptacle, a bell-crank lever in said water-chamber, a plate mounted on one arm of said lever and pressed by spring-pressure against said diaphragm and a valve mounted on the other arm of said lever, andcontrolling said passage, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.

2. In an acetylene-lamp, the combination with a gas-chamber, of a water-chamber adjacent thereto, an elastic diaphragm separating said gas and water chambers, a carbidreceptacle, a passage connecting said waterchamber with said carbid-receptacle, avalve controlling said passage, and a pivoted lever engaging said diaphragm and said valve,substantially as, and for the purposes, herei-nbefore described.

3. In an acetylene-lamp, the combination with a gas-chamber, of a water-chamber adjaeent thereto, an elastic diaphragm separating said gas and water chambers, a carbidreceptacle, a passage connecting said waterchamber with said carbid-receptacle, a valve controlling said passage, a pivoted lever'for transmitting the motion of said diaphragm to said'valve, and means to actuate said lever by hand, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.

l. In an acetylene-lamp, the combination, with a gas-chamber, of a water-chamber adj acent thereto, an elastic diaphragm separatin g said gas and water chambers, a carbid-receptacle, a passage connecting said Waterchamber with said carbid-receptacle, a valve controlling said passage, a spring-pressed bell-crank lever engaging said diaphragm and said valve, a screw-threaded rod pivotally connected to said lever, a stop on said rod adapted to engage the frame of the lamp, and a screw-nut on said rod, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.

5. In combination. in an acetylene gas lamp, a body portion comprisingagas-chamber and a water-chamber, and a depending tubular portion, a carbid-holder held therein, a chamber in said tubular portion above the carbid-holder, a passage between the same and the gas-chamber, a tube extending through the carbid-chamber open at its upper end, a tube depending from the waterchamber in the bodyportion through said open tube, and means for controlling the mouth of the depending tube, substantially as described.

6. In combination in an acetylene gas lamp, a body portion comprisinga gas-chamber and a water-chamber, and a depending tubular portion, a carbid-holder held therein, a chamber in said tubular portion above the carbid-holder, a passage between the same and the gas-chamber, a tube extending through the carbid-chamber open at its upper end, a tube depending from the waterchamber in the body portion through said open tube, a flexible diaphragm dividing the Water from the gas chamber, and a tilting valve controlled by said diaphragm adapted to close the end of the depending tube, sub- 30 stantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto setmy hand in presence of two Witnesses.

CORNELIS VERWER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS HERMANN VERHAVE, AUGUST SIEGFRIED DocA. 

